Worthy Prey

The marine let out a strangled gasp and Lysera turned to see that the victor had finally torn her attention away from the crowds congratulations, she had seized the frightened girl by the neck and lifted her up off the floor, pinning her against the wall, hands grasping desperately at the fingers around her neck even as the towering Isiri used her other hand to lift the Marine's leg, spreading her thighs and pressing herself in between.

The human's high pitched yelp and gasp were music to Lysera's ears and while she could see little of the action, the victors body obscuring it, she could see the wide-eyed shock in the human's eyes, the disbelief, the pain and the fear as each new thrust into her young supple body drove the wind from her lungs.

"That one may learn to enjoy it." Came a familiar voice and Lysera didn't allow herself to show the merest hint of surprise for being snuck up on, though she did chastise herself for becoming too engrossed in the proceedings.

Casually she flicked her hair back over one shoulder and flashed Tryi a grin, "Maybe. What about yours?"

Tryi smirked back, any bitterness she may have still felt forgotten with her sated lusts, "What do you think?"

Lysera's grin broadened, her white teeth shining as she tilted her head, taking in the visage of the human woman, nude and barely conscious slung unceremoniously over one of Tryi's shoulders.

She had missed the moment of Tryi's climax, too engrossed in the other prisoners, but its evidence was as clear as day. Hoisted over one shoulder, her head and arms draped down the Isiri's back out of view, all Lysera could see was the human's legs, pert pale ass and her soaked and slightly gaping pussy. Even as she watched a trail of thick Isiri cum continued to flow out of the girls new breeding hole to run down one thigh, dripping off the tips of her pretty little feet to land in the sand.

"I think you will enjoy yourself with her regardless of whether she does," Lysera answered with a laugh.

Tryi laughed too and slapped the humans ass with such force that the flesh visibly ripple outwards leaving a very obvious handprint to start showing through on the pale skin in an angry red, the exhausted human, somehow and unluckily still conscious, let out a pained and pathetic whimper, her toes curling momentarily, "I think so too."

Tryi lowered her hand and tilted her head, her single braid flowing down over one shoulder, always maintaining a small little smile, "You are in a bright mood, First, will you be breeding one of those two?"

Lysera's straightened her back and shook her head, "No, the human warrior your Fourths faced was special among them. A hunter of our kind. She escaped the fray."

Tryi's expression gained a more serious edge as she thought that over, "Then you will hunt. The honour of my Fourths?"

Lysera had been expecting that question, not that the fire and heat were so much lessened in them both it was a subject Tryi could broach without it instantly returning to violence.

"Unless the prey proves to be especially weak, their honour is intact. Though, one has an injury that will long outlast this day." Lysera said, tone professional.

Tryi idly ran her hand up her possessions inner thigh, squeezing softly as she did, eliciting a little moan from her toy, "I saw. She will struggle to overcome this."

"It will be difficult and dangerous. But such environments can breed strong warriors."

Tryi nodded once in agreement and they both stood for a moment, watching as the marine pinned up against the wall gasped and moaned at every thrust, her arms draped weakly over the Isiri's bulky shoulders, her legs wrapped around the strong gyrating waist, her cheeks flushed with colour.

"When will you hunt?" Tryi asked at length.

"Some time still yet. I must eat and prepare first. What of you?" Lysera responded, another smile gracing her full lips.

Tryi peered around and raised her eyebrows, "I'm looking for the White One. I want to see if any of the human men can share blood with this one, restore some of her fight."

"Ha! I had not thought to do that, she was tending to your wounded Fourths last I saw her. Good luck Tryi." Lysera smirked, nodding once.

Tryi returned both the smirk and nod before stretching up tall and casting her eyes around, walking off in search of the White One.

Lysera stood for a moment longer, admiring the way the marine had lost all control of the noises she made, each grunt and whimper as much shocked, forced pleasure as it was pain and fear. It was a good job she was enjoying it on some level Lysera mused, noting the many, many waiting Isiri.

She didn't so much as spare the spit-roasted redhead another glance as she turned from the scene, preferring instead to keep the image of that marine, broken and taken, in the forefront of her mind. It would serve to motivate her in the coming hunt.

Food was easy to come by and Lysera tended to it first, eating a combination of Isiri war rations and something local that had been roasted over a spit. The Isiri had been wary at first of the many-legged reptiles, but upon discovering just how delicious and nutritious all those legs were they had come to be a good sport for the Lessers to track and kill.

The preparations for the hunt, however, would take Lysera a little more time. They were by no means necessary, with many hunts requiring immediate attention with little or no time for preparation, but they helped to calm and focus her mind.

She retired to a makeshift tent that had been erected against the cliff face and felt herself relax as she stepped into it, knowing the processes that were to come and readying herself mentally.

The preparations were an exercise in patience and Lysera started by finally seeing to removing her battle armour. The armour was tough and flexible, strong and well fitted, but as with any Isiri she had hungered to be rid of its coverings from the instant she had encased herself in it.

Untying straps and ties occupied her mind for a few minutes as she struggled to complete the nimble task with her thick fingers, but as she did heavy metallic pieces started to fall away from her body one at a time, landing with a too heavy thump in the still sand around her feet.

As she continued her efforts alloy plates were stripped away to reveal more and more of her scarlet body, her muscles perfectly defined and only occasionally marred with slightly paler lines, each scar a lesson she had learned through blood spent.

As the last of her armour fell to the ground, leaving her entirely nude she squatted down by a container, her heavy cock almost touching the ground as she reached in and drew out a palm-sized device that she slipped over the fingers of one hand.

Activating the device with a click it began to emit a soft hum and a bright blue light spilt forth. Slowly and with meticulous deliberation she began to run the light over every inch of her body, meticulous and practised.

As the passage of blue light across her skin cleaned and more importantly, removed her natural scent, she let her body continue its task on autopilot, her eyes drifting shut as she began her mental exercises.

Inside each Isiri was a flame, one that fed their strength and determined their willpower. It was easy to unleash even for the youngest and most unskilled of the Warrior-Caste, the fire granting them incredible strength, but uncontrolled it was just that.

The trick Lysera knew was to see how far you could feed the flame without losing control, to access its gifts of strength and stamina while maintaining a clear mind and a tactical edge. Even for those as experienced as Lysera it could be difficult to conjure in an instant.

As the warmth of the device continued to tend to her body her mind became a carefully controlled ebb and flow of power and thought. She would feed the flame with thoughts of what was to come, of the chase, the fight, the aftermath and all that that would entail, while at the same time tempering it with slow breathes, conscious reminders of her status and ability.

"I am in control..." She hissed low, feeling the power swell within her, begging to be released, to chase down her prey like an animal, to savage her, to take what was rightfully hers.

"I am in control..." She repeated again, thinking of her place as First, how she had gotten here through the use of her mind as much as her body and how badly things had gone for her in the past when she had failed to keep the fire from spreading throughout her being.

When she eventually opened her eyes she felt reborn. Her body was pristine, a perfect Isiri specimen with strong muscles and soft breasts, her cock a little swollen between her powerful thighs, but the most significant changes were in how it felt. Free of the armour's weight and surging with power she felt as light and swift as a feather, like she could run for days and not tire, or, she thought, perform other marathon duties for days without need of a break...

Setting down the small device she opened a small secure chest and drew out several personal items.

First and most importantly came three pale blue spiked piercings which she affixed through existing spots up the bridge of her nose. Isiri were not very maternal creatures, not holding as much care for family and blood relations as the humans apparently did, but these had belonged to her mother, a great warrior of her time and someone who had through action, not blood, won Lysera's respect.

Next came two earrings and several smaller rings of the same pale blue colour favoured by the Isiri, they had all belonged to Lysera's former Better, a First who had herself taught Lysera much of what she now taught to others. But she had grown old and stubborn and Lysera regretted what she had inevitably been forced to do, but as she clipped the rings into her intricately braided hair she found solace that it had been the honourable thing to do.

Last she pulled out a spiked Isiri shoulder pad and, uniquely a fingerless glove of human make. The former she had been wearing when she had won her first victory as Warrior-Caste, the latter had belonged to a high ranking human officer she had bested on the field and remained a trophy worth bearing to this day.

The final item in the chest, a sword of pale blue that she had forged for herself, she left behind. As much as she wanted to wield it in the coming hunt, she had promised that honour to Aezera's Lancer.

When she stepped from the tent, unaware of how much time had passed, she found Aezera sat outside on the ground, still bound in her tight uncomfortable plated armour, waiting casually with her Lancer lain across her lap.

She rose when she saw Lysera and a broad grin settled on her face, "Sometimes I forget just how in your prime you are, Lysera." Aezera spoke, her eyes moving slowly up her Betters form, lingering here and there for moments at a time to drink in the sight, "You are ready?"

Lysera let out a low grunt of acknowledgement, "I am. Though I think you'll find I'm not yet in my prime." She let a small smile touch her lips then, "Wait until I return with a broodmare worthy of a hundred Isiri daughters thrown over my shoulder."

Aezera let out a laugh and nodded once in concession, holding out her Lancer, a double-bladed spear, each end a duel tip of the same pale blue material that was now interwoven throughout Lysera's outfit, "I look forward to seeing that, Better. Is there anything you would like done in your stead?"

Lysera thought for a moment before answering, remembering the cowardice that the curiously built redhead had shown, "Take a turn with the red-haired one's ass, I want to be able to fuck her myself should the urge arise."

"As you say, Lysera." Aezera said formally, though Lysera could sense her eagerness, "And be wary of the sands."

Lysera nodded once, accepting her advice and the two traded a strong warriors grip before parting ways, Aezera going to see to the running of the camp, Lysera letting her bare feet carry her towards the site of their ambush.

She walked with purpose, feeling the sand blowing around her ankles as she retread her steps, finding the blind from where they had launched their ambush on the unsuspecting unit of marines.

They had been, as the red-haired one had said, scouting out a potential colony site, but their dropship had been picked up by the Isiri's NCS sensor network and the nearest contestable force, Lysera's, dispatched.

As she stepped down to the road on which the humans had travelled she became extremely cautious with the placement of her feet, careful not to scuff any of the multiple tracks that crisscrossed the area as she started to look around, just in case they turned out to be relevant.

The going was difficult at first since many of the original tracks had been disturbed in the aftermath as wounded and dead humans both had been dragged clear, but it didn't take long until she came across what she was hoping to find, Isiri blood.

Despite how little Isiri blood lay on the battlefield compared to what had been spilt from their foe, her sense of smell and keen eyes had helped to find a distinctive too-deep crimson streak soaked into the sand and partially covered. She recognised the pattern the droplets had left as being from a particularly strong bladed slash, Cut-cheek, she thought.

As she stared at the sand around the blood, taking in each indentations size, shape and location, the picture of what had happened began to form in her mind's eye.

She identified and followed the actions of a set of boot prints, walk, walk, pause, kneel, twist, shell casings, jump back, drop weapon, Isiri footprints, blood. The marine had knelt likely the instant the order to charge had been given and had discharged a burst of fire. Counting the shell casings Lysera could see how little she had managed to get off before she had been rushed by cut-cheek.

A few details of the fight had been obscured by the obvious drag marks of a male humans corpse, but one set of tracks were clear enough, leading away from the stricken cut-cheek and further off into the rocks.

Lysera followed with a slow deliberate pace, ensuring she never lost the set of footprints as they began to separate from the chaos of the fight, becoming more distinct and less cluttered. Lysera was impressed with how the human had stuck to natural cover, slipping away from the fight unhindered and unnoticed by Isiri.

As she took each step with care, feeling the coarse sand as it pressed between her clawed toes, she turned her mind to that of her prey, trying to see thing from her point of view, but the more she tried to make sense of it the less it did.

If the stories she had heard of these unique marines were to be believed they were fierce warriors, fanatic to the human cause and fearless. Yet this one had fled. If a coward then a strong, intelligent one, but that notion didn't feel right. It felt like she was missing something critical, some information that would make everything just fall into place.

As time passed and the distance grew the non-ambient scents in the air from the battleground and the camp grew thinner and thinner leaving only one. The smell of human sweat and metal, no matter how faint, was like a beacon to Lysera's senses and it allowed her to pick up her pace, gaining confidence until she was as a steady run, her feet pounding the sand as she no longer had to follow the prints in the sand, having only to stop on occasion to re-scent her prey.

The human had travelled fast but had so far made easy game in the hunt, her tracks easy to follow and Lysera, though moving fast herself, relying on the fire burning within to provide her with strength and stamina she didn't yet push herself to her limits. She was unsure at which point she would catch up with the human and it wouldn't do to arrive out of breath and off guard.

As the shadows of the planets long twilight began to set in, casting the world in an eerie red light haze the planets duel moons began to rise and Lysera found herself slowing. Over the last couple of kilometres the ground to either side of her had begun to rise and close in, what had been a low valley when she had entered was fast becoming an increasingly narrow gulch, the cliff walls stretching out above her in what for her would be a challenging climb and for a human an impossibility.

Lysera came to a stop at a point where the gulch narrowed further, her breathing controlled despite the lengths at which she had been running, her instincts giving her pause. The human's scent was thick here, recent and alluring in its baseness, no perfumes or masks, just her prey, tired from a long run, seeking shelter from the sands as night approached.

Taking a step forward Lysera put a hand on the Lancer strapped to her back and she remembered her Seconds words, to be wary of the sands. She had no doubt her Second had been cautioning her not to forget about the planets unpredictable sandstorms, but even though none were in the air that she could sense, she hesitated, feeling uncharacteristically uncertain.

The smell and sense of her prey so close fed the fire in her and it commanded she finish the chase, take the human while she was tired and unprepared, find a quiet spot sheltered away from the world and claim her prize.

The fire drove her forward another few steps but again something in her mind held her back.

Frustrated and eager to claim her spoils it took a conscious effort of willpower to force the fire to subside, something many others, even of her rank would struggle to do when the climax of the hunt felt so close at hand.

As the fire subsided Lysera felt a little weariness settle into her limbs. It had been a long run and a long day even before that. She turned her mind from thoughts of taking what was hers and instead tried to figure out what had put her senses on edge.

With a hand still on her Lancer she looked from the rock faces guiding her along to the cliff tops above, then down to the winding passage vanishing off before her and lastly to the sands at her feet where her eyes focused and a frown formed on her plush cherry lips.

The human's tracks were deep and uniform, as easy to follow as the scent in her wake, so obvious in fact that even a Fifth could've followed with ease.

Lysera blinked, her breath catching in her throat as all the pieces seemed to at once fall neatly into place, the entire day's events culminating into a single all-encompassing realisation that burned through her mind and body, giving her life. Lysera grinned and let her fingers release the Lancer. She knew where the human was and she would have to be quick and quiet.

The climb wasn't as difficult as she had first assumed, though it was a good test of her control, relying on her fires incredible strength and endurance to heave her own massive bulk up while keeping her cool and calm, placing each hand and foot with caution, knowing that any loud noise could prove to be her downfall in the critical moments that followed.

Step by step, inch by inch, Lysera rose, her skin gaining a thin sheen of sweat as much from the mental restraint as her physical exertion and as she reached the top she kept her body low, her teeth bared as she peered over the lip of the gulch and at the jagged, rocky landscape that awaited her.

The sand-laced winds licked at her face as she crawled forward, sticking to cover and doing her best to ignore where the pointed rocks bit into her bare flesh, momentarily frustrated with her otherwise adored bust.

She came to a large rock outcropping on the edge of the gulch and froze, tempering her fire to slow her heart rate. She inhaled slowly through her nose but caught nothing, the wind up here too erratic to give her a scent and she prepared to continue forward.